MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 35 



part removed, which is almost a fac-simile of the specimen figured by Esper. 

 Other specimens agree with the descriptions by Lamarck and Milne Edwards. 

 The axis in the present species is always gray or fuscous, looking more like 

 wood than horn, differing greatly, in this respect and several others, from 

 G. crassa Ellis. 



The character of having cells fiat or slightly prominent is entirely in- 

 sufficient to separate Plcxaura and Eunicea, since all the species of Plex- 

 aura have, in certain states of preservation, cells with raised borders, and 

 there are often to be seen on the same specimen flat cells and others 

 which are quite prominent. For this reason the genera RJiinogorgia and 

 Gonidora, proposed by Gray, are not admissible (Ann. and Mag. 1859,p. 442). 



Plexaura turgida Verriix. 



Syn. Eunicea turgida Eiir. 1834 ; ? Eunicea crassa M. Emv. Coral- 

 liaires I. p. 148, 1857 (non Gorgonia crassa Ellis and Sol.). 



This is one of the largest known species, growing to the height of two or 

 three feet, with the branches one half an inch or more in diameter. 



In the structure of the polyps I have been unable to detect any difference 

 between this species and P. dichotoma, the type of Plexaura Lamx., or P. 

 homomalla and P. Jlexuosa, uniformly referred to this genus by authors. — 

 Florida Reefs ; L. Agassiz. 



Plexaura flavida Val. 1855. 



Syn. Gorgonia flavida Lamk. 1816. 



The color of this species is often dark violet, with the surface merely 

 tinged with yellow. — Ilayti ; D. F. Weinland. 



Plexaura fucosa Val. 1855. 



Syn. Gorgonia fucosa Val. Voyage de la Venus. — San Francisco, 

 California ; T. G. Cary. 



Plexaura sufirutieosa M. Edw. 1857. 



Syn. Gorgonia suffruticosa Dana, Zooph. 1846. — Feejee Islands ; 

 J. D. Dana, U. S. Expl. Exp. 



Eunicea limiformis Lamx. Polyp. Flex. 1816. 



Syn. Eunicea quincuncialis Eiir. 1834 ; Gorgonia quincuncialis Dana, 

 1846. — Florida and West Indies ; L. Agassiz. 



Eunicea calyculata Lamx. 1816. 



Syn. Gorgonia calicidata Ellis and Sol., p. 95, pi. 18, fig. 2, 1786; 

 Eunicea clavaria Lamx. 1821. — Florida; L. Agassiz. 

 Eunicea laxispica M. Edw. 1857. 



Syn. Gorgonia laxispica Lamk. ; Eunicea rnammosa Laaix. ; Gorgonia 

 papulosa Dana. — Florida; L. Agassiz. 

 Eunicea plantaginea Val. 1855. 



Syn. Gorgonia plantaginea Lamk. — Florida; L. Agassiz. 



